The invention concerns a vehicle lamp, in particular a side flashing lamp for motor vehicles, as set forth in the classifying portion of claim 1.
A vehicle lamp of that kind is known from German utility model No 297 20 060, which is to be used as a flashing lamp which is mounted laterally to a motor vehicle and in which, besides the emission of light in the transverse direction of the vehicle, there is also a need for light to be emitted in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in particular rearwardly but also forwardly.
In that respect the problem arises that the light emitted by the light emitting diodes used as the light source is to be radiated into a spatial angle embracing nearly 180° from a cup-shaped housing whose substantially flat light exit opening is disposed in an also substantially flat surface of the vehicle body and facing in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and is covered over by a substantially flat light exit cover.
A similar problem can also arise in relation to other vehicle lamps which are not used as side flashing lamps. In that case for example the main light emission direction which is actually predetermined by the cup-shaped housing can also face forwardly or rearwardly in the direction of travel and additional light radiation may be required in one or both transverse directions.
To resolve that problem the state of the art proposes arranging a plurality of light emitting diodes on respective separate carrier boards which are inclined at an acute angle with respect to the main axis of the housing, which is perpendicular to the plane of the light exit opening, so that the carrier boards form inclinedly outwardly projecting ramps on which a respective light emitting diode is mounted by way of the free ends which project beyond the light exit opening, in such a way that the main axis of the light beam emitted by the light emitting diode extends substantially perpendicularly to the inclined direction in which the ramp extends. At least one further light emitting diode is so arranged that the main axis of the light beam emitted thereby extends substantially parallel to the main axis of the housing. By virtue of suitable orientation of the ramps the light emitting diodes disposed thereon then emit light substantially in the direction of travel inclinedly rearwardly while the emission direction of the last-mentioned at least one light emitting diode is in transverse relationship to the direction of travel. In order also to be able to emit light forwardly in the direction of travel with that arrangement a further group of ramps is required, with light emitting diodes mounted thereon, which are of an orientation in opposite relationship to the other ramps.
A disadvantage with that known arrangement is the extremely complex structure of the boards which carry the individual light emitting diodes and which have to be mounted in individually supported relationship on a main board in order to implement the wiring of the light emitting diodes.